The scientists in that BBC documentary seem to think we can extend human life. In laboratories all over the world, scientists are modifying the genetic code of small creatures and extending their lives by many multiples. Most genetic engineers are in agreement that, within a few years, we should be able to extend human life well in the hundreds, or longer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immortality

The Christian Bible claims that the first human beings on earth lived for very long periods of time.

The lifetimes given for the Patriarchs in the Book of Genesis are:
Adam 930 years,
Seth 912,
Enos 905,
Kenan 910,
Mahalalel 895,
Jared 962,
Enoch 365 (did not die, but was taken away by God),
Methuselah 969,
Lamech 777,
Noah 950http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarchs_(Bible)

Is it possible that the Bible was correct?
Is modern science just discovering what the Bible said all along?
Or was it just a lucky guess by the people who wrote the Book of Genesis?

It is also possible that the Old Testament, at least the early part of it is more mythology than history. Most of the events that happened before Moses time were passed down through the generations by word of mouth and therefore subject to exaggeration. And, if you believe, as I'm sure Johnny does, that the Bible is the inspired word of God and therefore contains no lies or exaggerations then why try to extend your life here since there are many mansions in heaven and the afterlife there must surely be better than what we contend with here. That has always puzzled me. Why do people who claim to believe in God and heaven fight so hard to put off their trip to the afterlife. Could it be that deep down they know that this is the one and only life we get.

As far as whether I would want my life extended that would depend on what kind of physical condition I would be in. I'm not sure I would want to live in my current 63 year old physical body for say another 100 years. I'm afraid that if scientists start implementing some of the ideas that are now under consideration they will find that other problems related to longevity will sprout up.

There is also the birth rate to consider. Unless a drastic drop in the birth rate occurs we could run out of resources very quickly, which may happen even if efforts to extend the human lifespan fail as a whole.Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

It is also possible that the Old Testament, at least the early part of it is more mythology than history. Most of the events that happened before Moses time were passed down through the generations by word of mouth and therefore subject to exaggeration.

You are about right for most of it, although some of it does survive in more or less the original form.

since there are many mansions in heaven and the afterlife there must surely be better than what we contend with here.

Johnney will love this ...

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

"The mothership has many vacant cabins for our trip back home. I will reserve enough for all those that want to go."

In the next couple decades the computing power will be available, the only question is will we have a good enough understanding of the brain to emulate it by then? Some say yes, others say no.

To me that would be the way to go. Uploaded to a world wide copmuter, With various copies of you backed up just in case.

While the peacefull side of it holds a lot of promise, the down side is Boy we could be an adavnced fighting force. Put a copy of you in a drone and go to it.
Forget AI the human brain is the ultimate BOLO. You die in combat you are in a link that is continually updated. We just feed you into another machine with an update of what went wrong.

The idea is nice but us humans have a way of perverting anything good for war. [/quote]

Until we come together as a wide ranging species of many cultures and views the drive for immortality will only result in ossification of that generation that might achieve that goal of immortality. What a sad unprogressive, and completely undesirable world that would prove to be.

We have it built in to our genetic code to keep renewing ourselves every 100 years or so. So, what's wrong with that position, or is death a great inconvenience?It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues

There is no reason to die! You, me, and every human being on Earth were "programmed" to die. It has been written into our DNA. Its written in the living code in every living cell in your body. God programmed you to die!

BUT!! There is a very big but!!

God, the genetic engineer that created Adam, gave us a full set of instructions for how to become Immortal! Now i will be very clear here - Its NOT going to be easy!! God did NOT make it easy for you to become Immortal, he made it difficult.

To become Immortal, you have to read the Holy Bible. Not only that, you have to try to play by God's set of rules that are written in the Bible. If you play by the rules, and follow God's commandments, God has given YOU a 100% guarantee that you will be resurrected, through cloning, and you will get to live in the Kingdom of God. God spent a very long time preparing his Kingdom for those who choose to play by God's rules. He has a beautiful Kingdom already prepared for all that play by the rules.

... To become Immortal, you have to read the Holy Bible. Not only that, you have to try to play by God's set of rules that are written in the Bible. If you play by the rules, and follow God's commandments, God has given YOU a 100% guarantee that you will be resurrected, through cloning, and you will get to live in the Kingdom of God. God spent a very long time preparing his Kingdom for those who choose to play by God's rules. He has a beautiful Kingdom already prepared for all that play by the rules. ...

Errr...

Not wanting to sound dismissive or anything but...

Is that it? [*]

2781 posts to Epiphany?

Errr... To misquote Lunkwill and Fook for a certain momentous answer in front of a huge expectant crowd after waiting many years: "You'd get lynched!"

It means you're preaching gospel and promises without any evidence or reason to believe what you're saying.

Ozzfan,
This is not my gospel, i didn't write it. Some bloke called God wrote it, or at least he dictated it to other blokes to write it down. I'm just passing on the message cos the book suggests that i do so.

Anyway, the thread is about Immortality. Every and all angles on the discussion are open here. God suggested one way. There are lots of other sources that suggest way's to Immortality.